Why do engineering and security have the same color uniform?

Discussion in 'General Trek Discussion' started by t_smitts, Mar 4, 2013.

  1. t_smitts

    t_smitts Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    This goes back to the original series and doesn't make much sense. Supposedly "operations" officers wear the same color (red or gold, depending on what century we're in), but it seems to me it would've made more sense to make security and engineering distinct from one another. What exactly keeps an engineer from being mistaken for a security officer and vice versa?
     
  2. Captain Rob

    Captain Rob Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Security officers always have phasers.
     
  3. indolover

    indolover Fleet Captain

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    Ship operations are in the same branch.

    Though I'm not sure of the exact definition of such. Maybe it's anything to do with how a ship or facility is powered, operated, and manned.
     
  4. yousirname

    yousirname Commander Red Shirt

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    The Orion Syndicate only offers three kinds of dye.
     
  5. The Wormhole

    The Wormhole Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    The same colour reflect the fact the two departments have very similar training. As proven in Chain of Command, one of the first things Jellico does upon taking command of the Enterprise is transfer half its engineering staff to security. The only way that can be possible is if the two departments have similar training.
     
  6. sbk1234

    sbk1234 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Both jobs have the tendency to be the most hazardous. In security, the reasons are obvious. In engineering, one could get caught in machinery. Red hides the blood better.
     
  7. Relayer1

    Relayer1 Admiral Admiral

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    Its so that when you run out of security, there's still crewmen to get shot...
     
  8. SchwEnt

    SchwEnt Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    I've suggested it before, it's not so much that engineering and security are the same color.

    It's more a case of--command is gold, sciences are blue, and everything else is red (or gold depending on your century).
     
  9. F. King Daniel

    F. King Daniel Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    I thought they just picked what colours looked best of the actors and then justified them later, hence it not making the best of sense. Then in TNG, Patrick Stewart looked better in red than yellow, so they switched those colours around, and since Brent Spiner's makeup looked better with gold instead of science blue, the vague position of "operations officer" was created.
     
  10. C.E. Evans

    C.E. Evans Admiral Admiral

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    I like this idea.
    :bolian:
     
  11. Pavonis

    Pavonis Commodore Commodore

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    What does "command" mean? Kirk as commanding officer would wear the green/gold of "command", sure, but then why would anyone else? Sulu wears green/gold - what does helm have to do with "command"?
     
  12. yousirname

    yousirname Commander Red Shirt

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    Helm specifically, nothing much, I'd imagine. Wearing red seems to indicate the person in question is a line officer (or whatever the equivalent term might be in-universe).

    As an explanation this creates problems when we consider that Data is second in line to command, though. But I guess you can only wear one color uniform and since he's Ops Officer under normal circumstances, I can overlook it. He wore red when serving as Riker's XO in 'Gambit'.
     
  13. C.E. Evans

    C.E. Evans Admiral Admiral

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    Command generally deals with leadership, but it can also involve flight control, administration, clerical, and perhaps general services, IMO. Most Starfleet captains and admirals seem to come from the command branch.
     
  14. yousirname

    yousirname Commander Red Shirt

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    I recently saw a yellowshirt admiral on a DS9 episode and thought it very strange.
     
  15. Pavonis

    Pavonis Commodore Commodore

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    ^Yes, that was Admiral Toddman. I thought it was a nice touch. We saw flag officers wearing operations red in TOS, (Commodores Stone and Stocker) so why not have admirals wearing gold and blue? I have always thought Admiral Haftel from "The Offspring" should've worn sciences blue. He was definitely qualified for sciences, seeing as he assisted Data in operating on Lal.
     
  16. C.E. Evans

    C.E. Evans Admiral Admiral

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    ^^^
    It could be that during the TNG era, admirals (and perhaps some captains) in gold or blue don't get out much.
     
  17. The Wormhole

    The Wormhole Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Admiral Toddman is the only officer above Commander to wear anything other than red in the 24th century. I never understood why they bothered, they would have had to spend money on maikng a new costume when a perfectly good Admiral's uniform was hanging in the closet.
     
  18. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    What keeps a geologist from being mistaken for a doctor?
     
  19. CaptainDave1701

    CaptainDave1701 Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    On TOS they had no budget and reused or redressed everything. Pretty much this is where it started and it was carried on in later renditions of "Star Trek".
     
  20. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

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    I doubt that budget was the reason they used only three colors.